Handbook for Commonwealth Shared Scholars 2024
This handbook is intended to provide guidance to candidates who have been offered a Shared Scholarship by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in partnership with a UK university.
There is also a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page on the CSC website. You can find the password for the FAQs in your Confirmation of Award email.
Shared Scholars (SS) should note that in the first instance queries should be directed to the scholarship contact at their nominating UK university as they are responsible for communicating with you on all aspects of your award, including travel, immigration, welfare and the payment of allowances. Your CSC Programme Officer should be contacted when submitting requested documentation to confirm your award.
The Award
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships (CSS) are jointly funded by the CSC and participating UK As the CSC funding for these awards is provided by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), courses undertaken on this scheme have been approved for their developmental emphasis by the Commission, and Scholars have been selected on the basis of their future contribution to sustainable development.
When referring to your award, you should state that you have been awarded a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship and your ID. Further information about the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission can be found on our website at cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk.
Award Acceptance and Confirmation of Award
Please inform your Programme Officer (PO) within one week of receipt of this handbook whether or not you wish to proceed with your Scholarship.
If you wish to accept the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, you should complete and sign the Award Acceptance form (provided by the university contact) and Health and Disability form (available on our website) and return them to your PO, ensuring that you have included your current contact details. The Confirmation of Award letter (CoA) may only be issued once both forms have been received by the CSC. The information provided in the Health and Disability form may be used to provide assistance with any support or adjustments which may be required during your scholarship.
All forms should be emailed to your PO, whose email address is at the foot of the Award Acceptance form. If you have concerns about data security and would like to protect the documents with a password, please do so using your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.
If you have been nominated by more than one institution, the CSC will only proceed with the scholarship at the institution named on the first Award Acceptance form you return. You should decide the institution at which you wish to study before returning the form. Please inform any other institutions as soon as possible of you do not intend to accept their scholarship offer.
We can only issue a CoA once placement at your institution has been finalised on terms agreeable to the CSC; should this not be possible, we will be unable to confirm the scholarship.
Under no circumstances should you travel to the UK before your scholarship has been confirmed by the CSC and your UK institution has provided advice on applying for your visa and booking your flight.
Visas
Under UK immigration rules, most Commonwealth Shared Scholars will be required to apply for a Student Visa to come to the UK. You will need your CoA to apply for your Student Visa. You should make sure you select ‘yes’ to the question ‘Do you have a Marshall, Chevening or Commonwealth Scholarship?’ when making your application so that the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is waived. If you are charged for your visa application or asked to pay the IHS, you should speak with an international student adviser at your university immediately.
General information on visas can be found on the UKCISA website. You should also seek further advice and guidance from your UK university before you submit your visa application. Your UK university will advise you further on how to make the visa application, including the process of obtaining a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) and information on whether you require a TB test and/or ATAS Clearance Certificate. If required, you are advised to undertake a TB test and apply for an ATAS certificate immediately to avoid any delays in your visa application.
Travel to the UK
Your UK university will arrange your travel to the UK in line with the CSC’s travel policy. Under no circumstances should you arrange your own flight. You should contact your university on receipt of your CoA; they will then inform you of the process to book the flight. Please note that universities require your visa to have been issued before the flight can be arranged. You may be liable for the cost of any flights which you agree to be booked but then later do not take.
We will expect you to arrive in the UK as agreed with your university for the start of your course as set out in your CoA. We are aware that there may need to be some flexibility over booking travel and university start dates given the uncertainty over Covid-19 restrictions. Approval must be given by the university for any late arrival.
Your scholarship covers the cost of a one-way economy class flight from the nearest major international airport in your home country to the nearest major international airport to your UK university (as determined by the CSC) and one standard class train or coach fare in the UK if required. Your university contact will advise you on how to reach the campus from the airport by public transport.
Please note taxi fares cannot be reimbursed. Taxis in the UK are expensive and Scholars are advised not to travel by taxi.
Conditions while in receipt of your scholarship
General conditions about Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are found on our website here: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-shared-scholarships
Your stipend will be paid to you by your university at the UK Government rate. The rate may be revised every year and will be informed in your Confirmation of Award letter. On arrival in the UK, you will also receive a one-off Warm Clothing Allowance).
Scholars are entitled to apply to their UK university for the following, should they be required:
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- A Study Travel Grant
- A Thesis Grant
- Cost of a TB test where required for your visa, at a pre-determined amount set by the CSC – a copy of the TB certificate must be provided
- If the standard baggage allowance for a flight is less than 30kg, the cost of bringing an additional 10kg of luggage from your home country to the UK
- Excess baggage allowance on return home, up to a rate set by the CSC
Your scholarship is for study in the UK and you are expected to reside in the UK for the duration, unless by prior agreement with the CSC and your UK university. If your course requires you to undertake fieldwork in your home country, you must discuss this with your contact at the host institution as soon as possible so they can outline the support available. Please note that these awards are designed for study in the UK; periods of overseas fieldwork may not be funded and in some instances may be refused.
Please note that a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship cannot be extended.
You are expected to study full time for your entire scholarship tenure and to follow any regulations regarding work set by your university and permitted by your visa. Scholars should be mindful of the impact that balancing work and full time study has on their wellbeing and should not take on employment beyond their personal capacity.
A scholarship may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance. You are asked to read carefully the CSC Code of Conduct for Award-holders and abide by it at all times.
You are asked to note the CSC Disciplinary Policy, Anti-Fraud Policy and Procedure and Complaints Policy and Procedure.
All terms and conditions of the award are subject to UK local law and practices.
In line with the UK Bribery Act 2010, it is CSC policy that any candidate convicted of bribery will be banned from reapplying for a Commonwealth Scholarship for a period of up to five years.
As part of your award, the CSC requires you to submit an annual report on the progress of your studies. You will receive this towards the end of your award and the report will provide the opportunity for you to share both your academic achievements and your general experience of life in the UK.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and are offered to provide Scholars with the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge which they will apply immediately after returning home for the benefit of their home countries. By accepting a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, you are committing to return to your home country within one month of the end of your scholarship. The CSC will only consider supporting requests for extended leave to remain in the UK for those wishing to move from Master’s to PhD study. Strict conditions will apply and you must seek approval from the CSC well in advance. The CSC will not issue any letter of support to Scholars wishing to remain in the UK beyond the end of their scholarship or to return to the UK, except in the case of PhD study where all conditions have been met.
Please note that different conditions apply to Commonwealth Shared Scholarships than to Commonwealth Scholarships with nomination by a national agency or home university.
Welfare Support
Your university is responsible for providing you with welfare support whilst you are undertaking your scholarship, including providing reasonable adjustments and additional support where you have declared a disability. In such cases, a full assessment of your needs to determine eligibility for additional financial support will be offered.
If required, the CSC can liaise with your UK university to ensure that you receive an appropriate level of welfare assistance.
The CSC Community, Evaluation and Alumni
You will have the chance to take part in a wide range of activities and events throughout your time in the UK. The CSC organises a series of development training activities each year designed to support you to achieve long-term development impact following your scholarship, while building your skills in relevant areas such as leadership, communication, social enterprise, research writing and bidding, and more throughout your scholarship. We will also let you know about opportunities to attend events organised by other Commonwealth or educational organisations. For further information about CSC activities for Scholars please see the Current Scholars section of our website.
The CSC carries out continuous evaluation of all our schemes, including Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, to understand better the experiences of Scholars and alumni and to gather evidence on the outcomes and impact of our work to share with funders and other stakeholders. As part of this work, we will contact Scholars at the beginning of their awards and follow up after completion. The input of Scholars such as yourself is crucial to this work and we are very grateful for the continuing support of our Scholars and alumni in this regard.
Following your scholarship and submission of the annual report, you will receive a certificate verifying your scholarship and information about how to stay engaged and get involved in alumni events and activities. Further information on the Alumni Network is available on our website.
If your studies should generate publicity at any time, it would be very helpful to let the CSC have a copy or web link or other form of publicity, as we are keen to feature articles and profiles or our Scholars in our own publicity materials. Please send details of any such activities to engage@cscuk.org.uk.
